Flue-cleaner



J CATHBINER Patented Dec. 6, I898.

FLUE CLEANER. (Application mea'mr. 17, 1898.)

(lo Modal.)

//v VENTQR will! W/TNESS A rro I NE rs.

F TENT JOSEPH CATHRINER, OF BRENHAM, TEXAS.

FLU E-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,249, dated December6, 1898,

Application filed March 17, 189 8.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH UATHRINER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brenham, in the county of Washington and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flue-Cleaners, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in flue-cleaners for cleaning thefiues of stoves, fireplaces, &c. and the object of the invention is toprovide a convenient and effective flue-cleaner in the use of whichlittle dust or soot escapes and by which fines of any length may becleanedwith equal facility.

The invention consists of a flue-cleaner comprising a cylinder, a bowlor cup attached to the lower end of the cylinder and provided with acentral cone, a washer attached to the cone, a brush, and a handle forthe brush guided in the washer.

The invention consists, further, of a sec tional handle for the brush,each section being provided with means for attachment to the othersections, and in certain details of construction and arrangement ofparts, as will be more fully described hereinafter and finally pointedout in the claim-s.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation,partly in section, of my improved flue-cleaner, showing the sameinserted in a flue. Fig. 2 is a plan of the exterior of the bowl or cupand cone. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the fluecleaner; andFigs. 4 and 5 are respectively a top view of the bowl, showing thewasher, and a cross-section of the bowl, cone, and washer.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a metal cylinder of suitablediameter to fit closely in a flue of ordinary size and which is shown inFig. 1 inserted in the flue A. A bowl B, provided with a central cone 0,has openings 17 in its bottom, through which tongues projecting from thecylinder A are passed and bent, forming the lugs Z, thereby securelyattaching the bowl B to the cylinder. The cone 0 extends from the bottomof the bowl, within the cylinder A, through or nearly to a level withthe edge of the bowl and is provided at its upper end with a flangeSerial No. 674,165- (No model.)

f. A washer W, of rubber or other elastic material,provided with anopeningo, is placed upon the flange, with the opening 0 at the center ofthe cone. Theelastic washer is secured on the flangefby means of a ring0* upon the same and screw bolts passing through the ring, washer, andflange and secured by nuts at the under side of the flange. A brush D,having bristles, of hair, metal, or other material, of suitable diameterso as to enter the cylinder A, is attached to a handle of wood or metal,which may be in one piece or in sections, as shown in the drawings, thesame being composed of the two sections it and h. In case the handle ismade in sec-- tions one end of each section is provided with aninteriorly-threaded socket and the opposite end with a screw-thread,whereby all the sections may be attached together. The handle isconstructed of slightly greater diameter than the opening 0 in thewasher, but of less diameter than the opening at the top of the cone 0.

To introduce the brush into the cylinder preparatory to using theflue-cleaner in the case of a solid handle, the same is inserted'in thecylinder A and through the opening 0 and cone 0 and the brush drawn downinto' the cylinder. In the use of a sectional handle the brush may bedropped into the cylinder or pushed in until the end of the section towhich it is attached projects through the opening 0 and cone 0, when theother sections of the handle may be attached to the same, or the longerportion of the handle may be inserted through the cone, the opening 0,and cylinder and the brush-section then attached to the end of thehandle projecting from the cylinder.

The brush having been placed in the cylinder, to use the flue-cleanerthe cylinder A is inserted in the flue until the edge of the bowl B isin contact with the wall or in the case of a flue-pipe until the lowerend of the pipe is within the bowl. The brush is then pushed up by meansof the handle .until it leaves the cylinder and dislodges the sootaccumulated in the flue. In this position the flue-cleaner may beretained by one hand,vleaving the other hand of the operator free to usethe handle. The soot as it is dislodged by the brush falls and collectsin the cylinder A and is prevented by the tight connection of the washerand handle from escaping at the bottom of the cylinder. The principaladvantage of the cone 0 in connection with the elastic washer lies inthe facility which is afforded for operating the brush and reachingevery part of the flue. The efficiency of the fine-cleaner is thusgreatly increased. The bowl B serves to collect the small quantity ofsoot which,'eithcr in inserting the flue-cleaner into the flue or in theoperation of cleaning, may escape between the cylinder and the walls ofthe iluc. The cylinder in addition to aifording a receptacle for thefalling soot braces the bowl and cone, and when of such size as to fitsnuglyin the flue it serves to retain the cleanerin place at the end ofthe flue and obviates the necessity of supporting the apparatus by hand.

For cleaning fines of considerable length it is convenient to insert ashort length at first and add other lengths as the work progresses untilthe fine is entirely cleaned. The sectional handle is also of advantagewhere the operator is cramped for room. In this casea number of shortsections can be attached as it becomes necessary and the cleaningproceed without difficulty.

The flue having been cleaned or the cylinder A filled with soot, thebrush is drawn down until it rests on the soot and serves to retain itin the cylinder and the flue-cleaner then withdrawn from the flue andemptied. This operation is continued until the line is entirely cleaned,when the brush-handle may be withdrawn from the cylinder and the sootadhering to the apparatus removed and the same stored until againrequired for use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. A flue-cleaner,consisting of a cylinder, a bowl attached to the lower end of saidcylinder and provided with a central cone, an elastic Washer attached tosaid cone, a brush and a handle for said brush guided in the washer,substantially as set forth.

2. A flue-cleaner, consisting of a cylinder, a bowl attached to thelower end of said cylinder, and provided with a central cone having aflange at its upper portion, an elastic washer upon said flange, a ringupon said washer, and means for clamping said washer between said flangeand'ring, substantially as set forth.

3. In a flue-cleaner, the combination with a cylinder, a bowl attachedto the lower end of said cylinder and provided with a central cone, anda washer attached to said cone, of a brush and a sectional handle forsaid brush guided by the cone and washer, each section being provided atone end with a screw-socket and at the other end with a screw thread,substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOS. CA'IIIRINER.

\Vitnesses:

H. (J. IIEODDE, O'r'ro E. BAUMGART.

